Detective Kenny Daniels was an officer of the NYPD. He worked with Ed Green in the mid 1990s.
Background
In 1979, Officer Daniels arrested a man named Walter Grimes for holding up a liquor store at gunpoint. When the store owner is brought in to identify Grimes, he insists the robber was Latino the case is eventually dropped. In 1983, Daniels investigates Grimes for the murder of a 16 year-old girl named Julie Sayer after witnesses placed him with Sayer the morning she was murdered. Grimes continually berates Daniels and even tries to punch him, but Daniels dodges and beats him in retaliation. After the beat down, Grimes confesses to slitting Sayer’s throat and even tells Daniels the knife is in a storm drain. The arrest is, however, voided after Daniels’ Lieutenant saw what Daniels did to Grimes. Daniels decides to get the knife from the storm drain and use it to frame Grimes for another murder later down the road.
When another girl named Leanne Testa is stabbed to death, Daniels decides to use the knife to frame Grimes of her murder since both were stabbed with the same type of knife and have the same blood type. Daniels calls in an anonymous tip that Grimes is the murderer, pretends to find the knife in Grimes’ closet to frame, and Grimes is convicted of second-degree murder a year later. Daniels later earns his Detective’s shield and worked at multiple precincts. Green and Daniels worked together as partners at the 29th Precinct in the mid 90’s and Daniels kept Green in line often calling him a “cowboy”. Grimes eventually has DNA testing done on the knife and he is exonerated for Testa’s murder.
Vendetta
In 2004, Daniels is interviewed by ADA Serena Southerlyn about Grimes’ past crimes after he kills a man named Brendan Donner. Daniels tells Southerlyn that they should never have let Grimes out despite the fact he was exonerated and Southerlyn questions him on his history as a criminal. Daniels insists that Grimes was guilty of the robbery, despite the witness’ statement against Southerlyn pointing out flaws in his logic. Green eventually visited Daniels at his home to question him about his conduct during the investigation into Testa’s murder. Daniels continues to swear Grimes did the robbery and when Grimes asks about the knife, Daniels explains his history with Grimes and his role in Sayer’s murder and planting the evidence. Daniels defends his actions as getting Grimes locked up for Sayer’s murder to make things right for making a mistake.
The District Attorney’s Office eventually charges Grimes with both murders after getting the knife back in as evidence in Sayer’s murder case. They call Daniels to testify in Sayer’s murder case, but Daniels continually refuses that he feels bad for getting Grimes locked up. EADA McCoy argues with Daniels that he put himself above the law and that is unacceptable and must testify that he feels bad about putting himself above the law. Daniels testifies at trial about everything the happened and even says he regrets his actions back then. Grimes’ defense counsel, Rodney Fallon, vigorously cross-examines him and argues that even though he is losing his pension and destroying his career, he will do anything to see Grimes locked up.
As Daniels is leaving, he tells Green that after what he did to Grimes, they aren’t friends anymore. Green tries to point out they had no choice to get justice for Sayer, but Daniels says he already had justice for her. Grimes eventually accepts a plea for both murders and Green meets Daniels in a bar to tell him the news. Daniels tells him he has been encouraged to take an early retirement. Green says he’s sorry about that, but Daniels tells him not to be, it’s the result of doing what he needed to do. What Daniels doesn’t realize is that by framing Grimes for Tessa’s murder, he allowed her killer to get away. (L&O: "Vendetta")